Here in Indiana, I don't think there are any ammo restrictions. I've seen armor-piercing ammo, tracers, even incindiary ammo at gun shows and mil surplus stores.
Don't know about the rest of the country, though.

Even a .22 will cut right through light aluminum. So it depends on what you're talking about when you say "metal piercing". Look around, you can probably find a wide range of ammo which will do some fairly impressive things, not all of it intended or advertised.

(a) "Armor-piercing bullet" means any bullet which has a steel inner core or core of equivalent hardness and a truncated cone and which is designed for use in a handgun as an armor-piercing or metal-piercing bullet...."

Note that 'armor piercing' has nothing to do with whether or not it penetrates body armor. Note also that it only refers to ammunition which is designed for use in a handgun. It is also interesting that they included 'armor-piercing' in the definition of 'armor piercing'. The statute is quite poorly written.

Poorly written statutes are quite common, both on the federal and state level.

Federal law bans AP bullets for handguns, based on construction, not on performance. You specifically can not use depleted uranium for the core of a handgun bullet. Which presents a loop-hole for the use of handgun bullets manufactured with a core of U-238, perfectly legal.

Simply leaving the word "depleted" out would have banned both. Not that I think any civilians were likely to manufacture a bullet with a uranium core.

Here in Indiana, I don't think there are any ammo restrictions. I've seen armor-piercing ammo, tracers, even incindiary ammo at gun shows and mil surplus stores.
Don't know about the rest of the country, though.

Click to expand...

"Body-armor-piercing" handgun bullets are illegal... The law defines that as a handgun bullet that has a plastic coating.

IC 35-47-5-11
"Armor-piercing handgun ammunition" defined; related offenses
35-47-5-11 Sec. 11. (a) As used in this section, "armor-piercing handgun ammunition" means a cartridge that:
(1) can be fired in a handgun; and
(2) will, upon firing, expel a projectile that has a metal core and an outer coating of plastic.
(b) A person who knowingly or intentionally:
(1) manufactures;
(2) possesses;
(3) transfers possession of; or
(4) offers to transfer possession of;
armor-piercing handgun ammunition commits a Class C felony.
(c) This section does not apply to nylon coated ammunition, plastic shot capsules, or ammunition designed to be used in rifles or shotguns.
(d) This section does not apply to a law enforcement officer who is acting in the course of the officer's official duties or to a person who manufactures or imports for sale or sells armor-piercing handgun ammunition to a law enforcement agency.

[QUOTEThat little .22 round will go right through my vest like a knife through butter.][/QUOTE]

You have an old vest. Modern vests (last 15 years at least) have been designed to correct this.

Miamitiger, I think what you are talking about is the old WW (or similar) metal piercing load with the pointy nose. In their time (25-30 years ago), they were the hot stuff available. The ones I have only chrono about 1200 fps from a 4" 357 and their abilty to penetrate compared to modern rounds (AP) is questionable.

Whether or not they are legal depends on your state law. There are laws governing importation (federal) and use in a crime (usually state) that govern armor piercing ammo.

"Body-armor-piercing" handgun bullets are illegal... The law defines that as a handgun bullet that has a plastic coating.

Click to expand...

Huh, hadn't seen that one.

The federal law bans handgun armor piercing bullets with a definition of of projectiles made of or cored with one of seven "bad" metals; iron, steel, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, tungsten, and uranium. They later added any bullet with a jacket making up more than 25% of the weight of the slug.

There are no performance standards, just material of construction. The law was used to halt importation of communist surplus SKS/AK steel core ammunition after Olympic Arms unwisely built a few 7.62x39 "pistols" on AR actions.

The law has some loopholes but I would rather not pay a lawyer to explain them in court.

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